Chapter 662: The Palace Coup
Chapter 662: The Palace Coup
Chapter 662: The Palace Coup
At the palace gate.
Several young eunuchs presented their waist plaques, indicating they were responsible for making out-of-palace purchases.
They quickly left the palace and entered various merchant shops to conduct their transactions. Unbeknownst to them, a few scrolls slipped away unnoticed and ended up in different mansions.
At Prince Tai's Manor.
Prince Tai Li Ruzhang bore a striking resemblance to the emperor, both extremely valiant and heroic.
After reading the scrolls, he laughed heartily, "Self-restraint and return to propriety is benevolence. Father is saying the crown prince is not benevolent..."
Throughout history, loyalty and filial piety have governed the realm, followed closely by benevolence and righteousness.
This was a serious accusation.
"Such a clear rebuke is almost an open warning. From now on, the court will likely be in turmoil..."
A middle-aged man in a blue robe, dressed as a scholar, sighed, "However... this is good news for Your Highness."
"Mr. Wu, do you think we should send some people to spread the word?"
Li Ruzhang touched the fine steel ring on his hand.
The Great Qian Dynasty had won the empire through archery and horsemanship, and the education of the princes was never neglected.
Li Ruzhang could draw a strong bow and was an exceptional archer, deeply favored by the emperor.
Moreover, he bore a strong resemblance to his father, unlike the crown prince, who was somewhat weak and scholarly. Thus, he was the emperor's favorite.
"There's no need for that..."
Mr. Wu, the prince's chief advisor, shook his head, glanced around, and lowered his voice, "His Majesty is a founding emperor, both wise and meticulous. While it might be an exaggeration to say the Embroidered Uniform Guards control the entire empire, they certainly have a tight grip on the capital. If it's discovered, it would be counterproductive..."
Mentioning the Embroidered Uniform Guards made Prince Tai shudder, "Forget it. Let my good brothers do the probing... We won't get involved in this matter."
"Exactly. The princes are allowed to compete, but only within limits, as per the emperor's tacit approval..."
Mr. Wu sighed, "I believe His Majesty still has some hopes for the crown prince. He may be using him as a whetstone..."
"A whetstone? Hmph... what if he grinds him to nothing?" Prince Tai sneered, "Besides, I can't and won't step back... if I do, I'll be crushed."
Mr. Wu nodded. Although Prince Tai was brave, he was also good at accepting advice, which made him feel like he had found a wise ruler, "The struggle for the throne cannot be rushed. His Majesty is still in his prime. Let the crown prince bear the burden for now, and we'll take our time..."
"You're right. Over the years, I've come to see that the position of crown prince is like sitting on a bed of coals... still, everyone wants to try it out."
Prince Tai laughed and burned the scrolls in his hand.
...
The crown prince was reading in his study, everything was peaceful.
Before they knew it, three days had passed, and it was now night.
"Tonight, the Ancestral Dragon dies..."
In the study, the whale oil candle burned brightly. Fang Xing held a book, his thoughts wandering.
He had taken the action himself and knew exactly when the emperor would fall ill and die.
"Before the third watch tonight, there will surely be news from the palace..."
Most people are silent, content to avoid trouble and seek no trouble.
So, what happens when a sudden crisis occurs?
Only a few will immediately pledge loyalty or rebel. Most will follow the procedures and regulations, ensuring no one is held responsible!
So, when the old emperor dies, they will follow the protocol to inform the crown prince, who will then ascend to the throne... simple as that!
This is the power of 'righteous mandate,' plain and simple.
No one wants to cause chaos, so the realm remains stable.
"If there's no news from the palace by the third watch, things will get interesting... It will mean the palace is cut off, with no communication... There are eunuchs, consorts, and officials plotting to depose me and install another prince... or perhaps the emperor has already decided to depose the crown prince and has the decree hidden."
"But I don't need to worry about any of that. If there's no news by the third watch, I'll immediately go to the Duke of Wei's and Duke of Ying's mansions, announce the emperor's death, and then head to the imperial guards' camp to rally the troops in the crown prince's name to purge the emperor's side!"
This was a risky move. The crown prince rebelling would provide ample evidence!
If the emperor were still alive, a single call would rally the imperial guards, who would turn against the crown prince, leading to his execution...
But Fang Xing was certain the emperor was dead. This was the advantage of holding a clear hand and having foresight.
In a surefire bet, one must go all in!
'Such an advantage means that even if there is a decree to depose me, it will be a false edict, and I won't recognize it... Furthermore, I can use this to cleanse the palace and the court.'
While Fang Xing was deep in thought, Eunuch Ma entered and bowed, "Your Highness, a messenger has arrived from the palace."
"I'll go right away."
Fang Xing put down his book and noticed a subtle unease on Eunuch Ma's face.
Clearly, a late-night visit from the palace meant something significant had happened.
Perhaps... the crown prince was about to be deposed?
Fang Xing smiled and left the study.
Soon, everyone in the crown prince's mansion had gathered.
Besides the crown princess, there were also palace guard captain Zhao Hu and others.
Zhao Hu, in particular, had been recommended to the crown prince by the late Duke of Ying. He was loyal and brave, a staunch supporter of the crown prince.
If the crown prince were to rebel, Zhao Hu would certainly follow.
With the crown prince's title and support from the in-laws, keeping a few loyalists was not a problem.
Fang Xing glanced at the assembled guards and nodded in approval at their readiness.
In the main hall, the messenger turned out to be Eunuch Su, who served the emperor.
"Su Gonggong, what is the imperial command?"
Fang Xing frowned and asked.
"There is an imperial command, requesting the Crown Prince to enter the palace."
Su Gonggong's attitude was much better than in the past few days, but Fang Xing, with his heightened senses, could detect a deep-seated fear and anxiety in the eunuch.
"Vague and unclear... whose command? What exactly happened?"
Fang Xing asked, his voice tinged with shock and anger.
Su Gonggong gave Fang Xing a deep look, feeling that fate was still at play. Considering that the Crown Prince would eventually ascend to the throne, even though he had been instructed to keep quiet, he revealed some details: "The Empress Dowager's command. His Majesty's health has deteriorated, and the Crown Prince is requested to enter the palace to attend to him..."
He refused to say more.
"..."
Fang Xing seemed somewhat frightened, then gritted his teeth: "Since Father has fallen ill, I, as a loyal subject, must go... Where are the Eastern Palace Guards?"
"Your Highness, please give the order."
Zhao Hu immediately knelt down.
"Summon the Eastern Palace Guards. One squad will remain at the Crown Prince's mansion, and the rest will follow me!"
Fang Xing said, his teeth clenched.
To outsiders, this seemed like a pure gamble. If the emperor found out later, there would be severe consequences, possibly even being deposed.
But Su Gonggong, surprised, did not stop him. Instead, he sighed inwardly: 'At this critical moment, the Crown Prince shows such bravery, truly worthy of the imperial blood... No wonder he is the son of the dragon!'
Going to the palace was not without risks.
There might be an ambush at the North Gate, ready to strike at the entrance.
Even if not, a few eunuchs or palace maids could easily take care of him once inside.
Han Xin and Ao Bai would surely be very worried...
Although Fang Xing was not too afraid, he did not want to reveal his extraordinary abilities. This was his greatest trump card, and he had to keep it hidden.
Therefore, he decided to bring most of the Eastern Palace Guards.
At least, he needed to control one of the palace gates. If something went wrong, he needed a way to escape.
Although the likelihood of such an event was low, it was still a necessary precaution.
Soon, under the worried gazes of the women, including Lady Sun, the Crown Prince's entourage set out, slowly heading towards the palace gate.
...
Prince Tai's Manor.
"Your Highness, Your Highness..."
Prince Tai Li Ruzhang was woken up in the middle of the night, feeling quite irritable and almost kicking the servant to death: "What's the matter?"
"Mr. Wu has come at night, saying that our people have noticed unusual activity at the Crown Prince's mansion."
The servant, knowing Prince Tai's temper, quickly reported.
"Unusual activity from the Crown Prince? Go to the study immediately!"
Prince Tai hurriedly dressed and went to the study, where he saw Mr. Wu: "Mr. Wu, you've worked hard. I've already ordered the kitchen to prepare a bowl of ginseng soup. Have a bowl first..."
"Your Highness..."
Mr. Wu, usually graceful and composed, now seemed rushed: "The Crown Prince's entourage is heading to the palace gate... The palace is under strict curfew at night, and all gates are locked. Something must have happened!"
"What?"
Prince Tai's golden bowl fell from his hand: "What happened in the palace?"
The palace was under strict curfew at night, with all gates locked until dawn.
Moreover, though the various princely mansions had tried to establish informants in the palace, the empire was still new, full of vigor, and closely monitored by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. No one dared to overstep their bounds, especially not those who had been implanted in key positions, as discovery would mean the death of their entire family.
At most, they could gather some people through out-of-palace purchases, but they dared not transmit overly secret messages, only making rough guesses based on the palace's daily needs.
"What should I do, Your Highness?"
Prince Tai's face was pale. In the candlelight, he looked like an ordinary young man with dark circles under his eyes, lacking any trace of the heroic and wise demeanor expected of a prince.
"Right now, the most urgent task is to determine what has happened in the palace... From the current situation, it must be that the Empress Dowager or the emperor has fallen ill..."
Otherwise, even if a noble consort or a prince had died, it wouldn't have been enough to disturb the Crown Prince in the middle of the night.
"My grandmother is in good health, and Father has always been well... How could it come to this?"
Prince Tai's voice trembled, with a sense of foreboding.
"Indeed... It's too sudden, too sudden."
Mr. Wu felt bitter. He had assumed the emperor had many years left, so he had adopted a gradual approach. Who could have predicted that the emperor would suddenly fall ill?
'Could this be fate?'
'No... Fate is determined by people. I must... defy it and change my destiny!'
Mr. Wu quickly paced, then said: "There are three strategies—upper, middle, and lower. The upper strategy is to immediately enter the palace. Your Highness's mother is a noble consort. If you can convince the Empress Dowager to change the heir, the matter can be settled..."
Prince Tai's mother came from a noble family and, in the absence of a queen, had already gained significant influence in the palace. A desperate move still had a chance of success.
"My father is blessed by heaven; he may be fine. What about the middle strategy?"
Prince Tai shrank back.
If his father was not dead, such a move would be treason, and he would either be executed or imprisoned for life.
"The middle strategy is to remain still and observe the outcome of fate."
"Your Highness and the Crown Prince are blood brothers. Although there have been some conflicts, they haven't reached the point of irreconcilable enmity. If it really comes to that, as long as you sincerely apologize, you can still live a life of luxury and leisure in the future."
Mr. Wu continued: "Even if fate favors you, and the Crown Prince is the one staging a palace coup tonight..."
(End of Chapter)
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